Shoe last construction



May 8, 1962 P. FRANK SHOE LAST CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1960 Peter F ran/r INVENTOR.

May 8, 1962 P. FRANK SHOE LAST CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 13, 1960 P g Y 3,032,792 Fatented May 8, 1962 3,032,792 SHGE LAST CONSTRUCTEQN Peter Frank, Rte. 2, Dushore, Pa. Filed July 13, 1960, Ser. No. 42,696 7 Claims. (Cl. 12-436) This invention comprises a novel and useful shoe last construction and more particularly relates to a shoe last having relatively adjustable sections thereby facilitating shoes upon the last and the removal of the same therefrom as well as adjusting the size of the last to accommodate different sizes of shoes.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a longitudinally extensible last particularly adapted for use in stretching shoes and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a longitudinally extensible and adjustable shoe last including separate toe and heel portions having guided rectilinear longitudinal movement with respect to each other and including an adjusting means connected to both of said sections for effecting a positive controlled longitudinal movement and adjustment of the sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable shoe last in accordance with the preceding objects including the provision of an improved means for centering and positioning a shoe with respect to the last to thereby facilitate the engagement of the last and the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a positioning means in accordance with the preceeding object which shall be capable of a variety of adjustments to facilitate the proper positioning or centering of a shoe upon the last and which will cooperate with the heel portion of the last for this purpose.

And a final important object of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the provision of a sectional longitudinally extensible shoe last capable of very easy adjustment and manipulation and which will facilitate the work of the shoemaker or shoe repairman.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a suitable embodiment of a shoe last construction in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the construction of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a centering and positioning bracket in accordance with this invention and having a modified construction from that shown in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view in vertical transverse section between the toe and heel portions of the last the view being directed towards the toe portion thereof and showing the guide means and the adjusting means disposition with respect to the last;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 2 and showing more particularly the adjusting means for the two sections of the last; and

FIGURE 6 is a detailed view taken in horizontal section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 66 of FIGURE 5 and showing a locking means for securing the adjusting means in adjusted position.

Referring first to FIGURE 2 it will be seen that a longitudinal extensible shoe last in accordance with this invention is indicated generally by the numeral It the same including relatively movable toe and heel sections 12 and 14, respectively, with the latter being provided with a socket 16 receiving an upstanding standard 18 forming a portion of a support structure 20 by which the last is mounted for use.

The two sections of the last are constructed of any suitable material and in any convenient size and shape in accordance with conventional practice, and preferably have flat plane faces disposed upon their adjacent parallel surfaces 22 and 24. In order to reduce wear, a pair of metallic face plates as at 26 and 28 may be secured to the surfaces in any suitable manner.

Means are provided for connecting the two sections 12 and 14 for adjusting a longitudinal rectilinear guided movement to effect adjustment of the length of the last. For this purpose there are provided a plurality of guide rods 36, each of which has one end extending to corresponding apertures in the face plate 28 and anchored in the heel portion 14 to project horizontally therefrom towards the toe section 12. The latter section has corresponding apertures in its face plate 22 and bores 32 which are adapted to slidably receive the forwardly projecting ends of the rods 30 so that the toe section is supported upon these rods from the heel section for guiled rectilinear movement towards and from the heel section.

An adjusting means is provided for effecting by manual operation a positive controlled movement of the sections towards and from each other and thus obtain any desired longitudinal extension of the last. This adjusting means comprises a pair of pivoted levers 34 and 36 having one end of each pivotally secured as by pivot pins 38 and 40 in an upwardly extending forwardly opening recess 42 in the heel section 14 and an upwardly opening rearwardly extending corresponding recess 44 in the toe section. As also shown in FIGURE 2, the two face plates are likewise notched or cutaway as at 46 and 48 to permit passage of and pivoting of the levers 34 and 36 thereinv The lever 34 is provided with a quadrant shaped enlargement at its forward end as shown at 50 which is provided with an arcuate series of openings or recesses 52. The mid-portion of the lever 36 is pivotally connected to the quadrant 50 of the lever 34 a by a pivot member 54, with the projecting end 56 of the lever 36 constituting a handle by which the toggle link formed of the two levers 34 and 36 may be manipulated. A detent member 58, see also FIGURE 6, is provided upon the lever 36 to cooperate with a selected one of the series of depressions, recesses or openings 52 of the quadrant 5d of the lever 34. Both the detent S3 and the recesses 52 may be provided by punching or downwardly deforming corresponding portions of the levers, as suggested in FIGURE 6.

The detents and recesses comprise a locking means whereby the pivotal adjustment of the two levers with respect to each other may be releasably retained thereby in turn releasably maintaining the toe and heel sections in their longitudinally adjusted extension with respect to each other.

In addition to the adjustable longitudinally extensible shoe last previously described, the shoe last construction of this invention includes a centering and positioning device indicated generally by the numeral 69. This device preferably includes a flat plate 62 constituting a base and which as shown in FIGURE 2 is mounted upon the support 20 of the shoe last and projects horizontally and rearwardly from the heel section 14 of the last.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 it will be observed that the plate 62; which constitutes a shoe positioning bracket as will be subsequently apparent is generally rectangular in shape and is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending parallel slots each indicated by the numeral 64 which constitute guide slots. A carriage 66 comprising a vertically and transversely extending plate has downwardly projecting angulated forwardly turned portions 68 which extend through and are guidingly and slidably received in these slots. These portions, of course, may extend laterally beyond the sides of the slots whereby the carriage is retained on the plate and is secured in the slots for longitudinal sliding movement upon the plate.

The carriage is provided further with a pair of transversely extending slots 70 through which extend adjusting screws 72 each of which is threaded into the lower end of shoe positioning members each indicated by the numeral 74. These members extend upwardly from the carriage and are provided with resilient bowed upper ends 76. By means of these slots the members may be adjusted transversely of the carriage towards and from each other thereby enabling them to properly engage the heel portion of a shoe as suggested by their position in FIGURE 1, to assist in centering the shoe upon the last prior to stretching of the shoe by a longitudinal extension of the last.

In order to retain the carriage and the positioning mem bers mounted thereon in an adjusted position with respect to the heel portion of the last, there is provided a latch 80 in the form of a metal strip secured to the rear face of the carriage 66 and having at its outer end a downturned finger 82. This finger cooperates with and is selectively positionable in a series of longitudinally spaced openings, slots or grooves as at 84 whereby to releasably retain the carriage in adjusted position with positioning member 76 being thus held in proper position against the rear portion of a shoe when the latter is mounted upon the last. It will be understood that the inherent resiliency of the member 8t) will be employed to evenly retain the last finger 82 thereof in a selected one of the latching openings 84.

There is also provided upon the plate at the outer or rearward portion thereof a pair of fixed positioning fingers 86 likewise provided with the bowed resilient upper portions 88. This second set of fingers is of sufiicient size and is sufficiently spaced from the first set of fingers 74. 76 and from the support post 18 to enable a shoe to be placed heel down on the plate 62 with its heel against the fingers 86, 88 whereby the latter may be utilized to gauge the accuracy and straightness of the back stay. This operation is especially useful in repairing or rebuilding shoes which because of worn heels or for other reasons no longer leave their back stays accurately vertical.

In some instances, the fixed positioning members 86 may be omitted as suggested in the showings of PEG- 4 The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A longitudinally extensible shoe last comprising toe and heel sections adapted to receive and stretch a shoe thereon, a support for said heel section, guide means on said sections limiting the latter to relative rectilinear movement, adjusting means engaging the adjacent ends of said sections for effecting a positive, controlled movement of said sections towards and from each other into longitudinally extended positions, a shoe positioning bracket mounted upon said support and projecting rearwardly from said heel section, upstanding positioning members mounted upon said bracket and disposed for engaging the exterior surface of a shoe heel for centering and positioning the shoe upon said sections.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means includes a pair of levers each having one end pivoted to one of said sections, said levers being pivoted to each other and locking means carried by said levers and cooperating to retain the levers in pivotally adjusting position.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said positioning bracket comprises a plate having guide slots therein, said positioning members including an element slidably and guidingly engaged in said guide slots for movement towards and from said heel section, and retaining means securing said members in adjusted position upon said plate.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said element comprises a carriage slidable upon said plate, means extending into said slots securing said carriage to said plates, said positioning members being mounted upon said carriage.

5. The combination of claim 4 including means for adjusting said positioning members on said carriage towards and from each other.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said members have resilient, bowed portions for yieldingly engaging the heel portion of a sleeve.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said position ing bracket comprises a plate having guide slots therein, said positioning members being slidably and guidingly engaged in said guide slots for movement towards and from said heel section, retaining means securing said members in adjusted position upon said plate, said retaining means including spaced openings in said plate, a resilient latch secured to said plate and having a finger selectively insertable in said openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,104,484 Esche July 21, 1914 2,014,981 Pizza et a1 Sept. 17, 1935 2,546,398 Kamborian Mar. 27, 1951 

